Bridle



(No Model.) J. H. RAFFERTY.

BRIDLE.

Patented July 1, 1890).

WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. RAFFERTY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRIDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,396, dated July 1,1890.

Application filed September 19, 1889. Serial No. 824,424. (No model.)

or other animals, and has for its object to provide a simple andcomparativelyinexpensive combined bridle and check device readilyconvertible for service with either an overdraw checkrein or a sidecheckrein, and adjustable also to fit animals heads of different sizes,the whole making an elegant,lig-ht, and very substantial bridlestructure.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts of the bridle and check, all as hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved combined bridle and check.Fig. 2is an enlarged detail sectional plan View taken on the line m a;in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front or edge View of one of the clasps whichconnect the bridle-straps with the bit-rings and partly broken away.Fig. 4 is an inside face view of one of the two sections of the strapand bit-ring clasp; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through theclasp on the line pp in Fig. 3, and shows the bridlestrap in sideelevation.

Aside from its metal trimmings and bit my improved bridle, excepting thebrow-band, is or may be made practically of one continuous leatherstrap, and could be made of one piece were the hides or skins longenough forthe purpose, and the checkrein-strap, made partly of theleather straps forming the bridle, is stitched fast to thesebridle-straps, so that the whole structure of bridle and checkrein mayproperly be said to consist, mainly, of one continuous piece made andarranged as follows: I take a leather strap or band about as widethroughout as the crown-strap A of the bridle, and which may be made intwo parts joined at the center of the crown-strap. From two points a oat the lower ends or sides of the crown-strap the strap is slit in twocentrally lengthwise, thereby forming two long narrow straps. The rearpair B B of these narrow straps are then cut oif to proper length, andare provided with a buckle b and loop 5, and thus constitute thethroatlatch of the bridle. The front pair of these straps are extendeddownward and forward to form the cheek-pieces C O, and the straps arethen bent around or doubled upon themselves at c c and within U-shapedcavities or openings of two clasps H H, made alike, and as presentlydescribed, and to which the rings 1' iof the bit I are connected. Fromthe clasps H H the two straps are extended upward and toward each otherto"form the two face-straps D D, which, when the bridle is to have anoverdraw-check, are held to each other by a clip device J about at thecenter of the bridle, and from this clip the straps extend upward anddiverge and pass as overdraw-checkreins through adjustable loops orrings K K, fixed in any approved way to the crown-strap A, and made toopen to allow removal of the strapsE E when converting from an overdrawto a side check in a manner presently described. From these loops K Kthe straps E Econverge rearward and are united at e to the broad rearcheck strap or rein F, having a perforated billet f, allowing itsconnection to the water-hook of the harness saddle or girth. (Not shownin the drawings.)

The clip J is made preferably of. one piece of somewhat elastic metal,which may be opened to allow removal of it from the straps D D whenconverting the bridle from an overdraw to a side check. I prefer to lapthe ends of the clip onto each other and pass a screw j through theminto a threaded hole in the rear of the clip, and whereby, when thescrew is loosened, the clip may be adjusted to converge the face andoverdraw straps at the most advantageous place to present the bestappearance on a horse having a larger or smaller head, and when the clipis thus adjusted by slipping it along on the straps the screw j istightened to securely clamp them. The clip is bent or shaped to conformas nearly as possible to the shape of the straps, as shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. The loops or rings K K are of my own design, and consist,substantially, of two open rings, one fit-- ted for "rotation on theother to allow'opening of them, as shown at the right-hand loop,

' straps B B and through eyes Z Z, fixed to the inner faces of metaltrimmings or escutcheons L L, to which are fixed two snap-hook loops MM, having spring-closed latches m m,which may be pressedopen to placethe straps E E into the snap-hooks when the overdraw-check is to beconverted into a side-check device.v

The bridle-clasps H are peculiarly made with two halves h h, preferablyhaving a semicircular cross-section and cast or pressed into ageneralU-form. (Olearlyshown in the drawings.) Each of these parts h of theclasp is provided at its center and lower middle portion with an openeye or ring h, which ranges about at right angles with the main body ofthe part It, and at its shank near the point of connection with the bodyis provided with a lateral slanting or tangential shoulder 712, againstwhich the beveled or inclined end 71 of the open eye or ring h, of theopposing part 72. of the clasp is adapted to lock in such manner thatthe two rings h h of both parts h h will together form a complete smoothround eye H, which receives a bit-ring of the bridle. The ends of thetwo limbs of the clasp halves or portions h h are tapered at k andscrew-threaded at h next the taper, and onto these threads 71. areadapted to be screwed a pair of milled nuts H H which have taperingouter ends, which crowd upon the tapered extremities 77. of the twohalves of the clasp, and thereby bind them securely upon the bight c ofthe bridle-straps, from which the cheek and face straps O D extend.\Vhen the retaining-nuts 1-1 are thus applied, the interlockingshoulders and extremities h2 h coact to prevent a separation of thelower rounded portion of the divided main body of the clasp. To assure aperfectly-tight clamping of the bridle-strap by the clasp, their taperedextremities h arebeveled off or backa little from the general plane ofthe joint between the main body parts of the clasp, as shown in Fig. 3of the drawings, wherein the nut H is partly broken away for thispurpose.

It will be noticed that by simply removing the nuts H from the splitbodies of the clasps the latter may easily be separated to allow them tobe adjusted on bightsocof the bridlestraps produced farther from ornearer to the crown-strap A, whereby provision is made for lengtheningor shortening the bridle to suit animals having longer or shorter heads,and the screwj of the face-strap clip J will then be loosened to allowit to be adjusted at a new place to assure the best set of the straps onthe face of theanimal, and this adjustment of the clip J may be made atany time should it be desired to readjust the set or range of theface-straps should the bridle already be of proper length betweenthecrown-strap and bit.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows the bridle, with the straps D D E Eadjusted in the clip J and loops K K for service as an overdraw-check.To readjust these straps to serve as a side check, it is only necessaryto disengage the billet f from the water-hook and remove the clip J, andthen open the loops K K and lift the straps E E therefrom andslip theminto the snap-hook loops M M, and then remove the clasp-nuts H andseparate the two clasps H H and turn the bights c c of the strapshalfway around and reapply the clasps, leaving the straps C to the frontand the straps D to the rear to avoid crossing the straps or twistingthe clasps, and the strap F may then be connected to the water-hook, andthe bridle then has a complete side-checkrein device. These operationsmay readily be reversed in order to again reconvert the bridle toprovide it with the overdraw-check device.

I much prefer to give the bridle and checkstraps B B, C C,D D, and E E Garounded form where possible; but this is not essential, as the clasps Hand clip J may be shaped to fit straps of fiat, square, or any othercrosssectional form, as will readily be understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. Abridle made with check and face pieces ofeach side formed in one continuous strap connected with the crown-strap,combined ;with bent or U-shaped divided clasps holding the straps attheir lower bends or bights,

substantially as herein set forth.-

2. A bridle made with the cheek and face.

pieces of each side formed in one continuous strap connected with thecrown-strap, combined with U-shaped divided clasps holding the straps attheir lower bends or bights, and a bit held to the clasps, substantiallyas herein set forth.

3.- A bridle made with the cheek and face pieces of each side formed inone continuous strap connected at one end to the crown-strap andextending rearward at the other ends to form a checkrein, combined withclasps engaging the lower bends or bights of the strapsand a bit held tothe clasps, substantially as herein set forth.

4. A bridle made with the'cheek and. face pieces of each side formed inone-continuous strap connectedat one end to the crown-strapand extendingrearward at the other ends to form a checkrein, combined with bent or U-shaped divided clasps holding the straps at their lower bends or bightsand a bitheld to the clasps, substantially as herein set forth.

5. In a combined bridle and check, the cheek and face pieces of eachside formed as continuous straps connected at one end to-the crown-strapand extending rearward at the other ends to form a checkrein, claspdevices holding the two straps at their lower bends or bights, a bitheld to the clasps, overdrawcheck loops and side loops held to thecrownstrap, and a detachable clip device adapted to the face-straps,substantially as described, whereby the bridle may be adjusted with anoverdraw-check or a side check, as set forth.

6. In a combined bridle and check, the cheek and face pieces of eachside formed as contlnuous straps connected at one end to the crown-strapand extending rearward at the other ends to form a checkrein, bent or U-shaped divided clasps holding the straps at their lower bends or bights,a bit held to the clasps, overdraw-check loops and side loops held tothe crown-strap, and a detachable clip device adapted to theface-straps, substantially as described, whereby the bridle may beadjusted with an overdraw-check or a side check and the strap-bights maybe read- ;usted in the divided clasps to prevent twistlng of the strapswhen the overdraw-check is changed to a side check, as set forth.

7. The combination, in a bridle and check, of a crown-strap A,throat-latch B B, two continuous straps O D E and O D E, connected tothe crown-strap, a check-strap F, connected to the parts E E, dividedclasps H II, clamping the bight-s c c of the straps O D C D, a bitconnected to the clasps, a brewband G, and side loops adapted to receivethe straps E E as a side-checkrein device, substantially as herein setforth.

8. The combination, in a bridle and check, of a crown-strap A,throat-latch B B, two continuous straps (l D E and C D E, connected tothe crown-strap, loops K K on the crown-strap, receiving the strap E E,a strap F, connected to the parts E E, divided clasps H H, clamping thebights o c of the straps O D C D, a detachable clip J, held to thefacestraps D D, and a bit held to the clasps H H,

substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

9. In a bridle, the combination, with a crown-strap and connectedcontinuous straps forming cheek, face, and check straps and doubled-inbights c c, substantially as specified, of divided clasps of U form,placed on said bights and provided with nuts at their extremities,substantially as herein set forthf 11. In a combined bridle and check,the

combination, with a crown-strap and connected continuous straps O D E CD E, forming cheek, face, and check straps, and bent or U-shaped dividedclasps inclosing the bights c c of the straps, of an adjustable and detachable clip on the face-straps, substantially as herein set forth.

12. In a bridle, the combination, with a crown-strap and connectedcontinuous straps forming cheek, face, and check straps and doubled-inbig'hts c c, substantially as specified, of bent or U-shaped claspsformed with two parts it 71, each having an open ring it, a shoulder [Land a beveled extremity 7L3, and detents holding the parts 7L htogether, substantially as herein set forth.

13. In a bridle, the combination, with a crown-strap and connectedcontinuous straps forming cheek, face, and check straps and doubled-inbights c a, substantially as specified, of clasps 11, formed with twoparts h h, each having an open ring it, an inclined shoulder 7L2,abeveled extremity h and screwthreads ht, and nuts H run upon saidthreads, substantially as herein set forth.

JOHN H. RAFFERTY. Witnesses:

1VIIOHAEL J. OoNNERY, HERBERT M. STONE.

